Throughout the spring and summer, seasonal allergies can wreak havoc on your respiratory system. Sneezing, congestion, coughing, and a scratchy throat are common symptoms. But if you’re noticing you’re also experiencing similar ailments while inside your Ketchum, Idaho home, especially while your HVAC system is running, it may be time to consider air duct cleaning.
How Allergens Affect Air Ducts
Every home or building environment is different. Generally, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that annual air duct cleaning is necessary or practical to maintain a healthy indoor air quality.
However, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), when HVAC systems are not installed, maintained, or operated properly, contamination can occur. Contaminants like dust, pollen, dirt and debris, as well as moisture (and the potential for mold growth), may gather and subsequently release into your home while running.
Air Duct Cleaning: What to Look For
Breathing in any contaminants can cause discomfort for all inhabitants. And especially those who are already sensitive to seasonal allergies. Some general signs to look for when figuring out if your air ducts might be the culprit include:
- Visible mold growth: If you’ve recently experienced a mold outbreak, particularly on walls or ceilings near your air duct locations, it’s possible there’s more growth inside your ducts. In this case you’ll likely experience a musty smell while running your HVAC system and should immediately seek professional mold remediation.
- Excessive dust and debris: You may actually see physical dust being pushed through vents while air is flowing. If this problem persists even after thoroughly cleaning vent grates, then the excess dust is further and your ducts and requires professional cleaning.
Rodent or insect infestation: If you’ve recently had any issues with rodent or insect infestations in your walls, a thorough check to make sure the problem didn’t expand into your air ducts is in order.
When to Clean Your Air Ducts
Valley Restoration recommends cleaning your air ducts to remove potential allergens and irritants from your home’s air supply, especially when any dirt or debris is visibly noticeable.
If the primary cause of the reduced air quality is due to mold or mildew growth, our IICRC-trained and certified technicians can immediately begin the mold removal process:
- Contain the affected areas to prevent further mold spread.
- Safely remove mold from all affected surfaces, without further contaminating air quality or contaminating other areas of the structure.
- Identify and address the root causes of mold growth.
- Prevent future mold growth through moisture control measures and repair any damaged areas (roof leaks, flood risk areas, etc.) or issues with your HVAC system.
Additionally, you can improve your indoor air quality by regularly cleaning and replacing air filters and dusting air vent grates. You may also consider investing an in an air purification system.
Full-Service Disaster Restoration for Over 50 Years
While air duct cleaning may not be on your annual home upkeep to-do list, maintaining indoor air quality is paramount to ensuring your home and family stay healthy. If you notice allergy symptoms persist indoors, or you’re worried your air ducts may be compromised by a mold outbreak, contact the professionals at Valley Restoration.
At Valley Restoration, we’re here to help you during every stage of recovering and restoring your home after a disaster. Our certified IICRC technicians are committed to providing you with the finest property restoration services possible using the most recent technology and state-of-the-art equipment. When speed is crucial, get an emergency home restoration team at your door as quickly as possible.
Since 1968, we’ve helped families and business owners in the Wood River Valley area take the proper steps to restore their properties and rebuild their lives in the face of disaster. Are you seeking a reliable, full-service disaster recovery service in the Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey, and Bellevue, Idaho areas? Contact Valley Restoration today!